The Birmingham Small Arms Co. started life in 1861, when a members of the Birmingham small arms trade met over a glass of whisky and decided to form a public company to manufacture rifles by machinery. A site was sourced on 25 acres of ground at Small Heath, and by 1863 the factory was burning coal, and the buildings and workshops were full of busy workers and humming with the rotation of thousands of wheels. The site also included a new road (Armoury Road which still exists today) which was constructed for the sole purpose of access to the buildings and workshops.
The BSA factory churned out munitions in vast numbers for the British, Russian, Turkish, Dutch and Portuguese Governments, however in 1880 demand was dampened when Government orders for rifles and ammunition started to dry up. As a result, the BSA board needed an urgent rethink… and where better to look than the booming bicycle market, which suited much of the plant and equipment already in-situ in the Small Heath factory.
The first bicycle manufactured in any quantity was the Otto safety bicycle, a contraption that had two oversized wheels either side of the saddle, a Penny farthing on steroids, if you will. The creator was so confident with the design that he offered to demonstrate its capability by riding it down a winding staircase – luckily for him it was a success, with no broken bones, and evidently satisfied the management who took on the project to kick-start the new enterprise for the factory.
The Otto Safety Bicycle (copyright Colin Kirsch onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk)
A number of curious tricycles proceeded and in 1884 the first conventional bicycle appeared on the scene. B.S.A cycles were a popular outfit as the standard and quality of work was known as being second to none… after all the workers were naturally accustomed to the precision associated with rifle-manufacture. It was all short-lived however, as cycle production ceased in 1887 to focus efforts on the new Lee–Metford bolt-action British army service rifle… the timing could not have been any worse as the invention of the pneumatic tyre surfaced and the demand for cycle parts flourished.
Once BSA had shod the next ammunition phase from their system, they were back in the cycle business – this time focussing on high quality components which were said to be the finest quality on the market. The factory expanded to cope with the increased workload and by the turn of the century the footprint had more-or-less doubled.
Then came the good part… in 1903 BSA decided to dip their toe into the motorcycle revolution, and experimented with a BSA pattern frame (which was supplied to the trade) and a 233cc Minerva motor. BSA dabbled with their own engine in 1904 but aborted due to the ominous economic situation at that time. It was not to be their time, but fast forward to 1909, and out came the first proper BSA motorcycle. It featured a vertically-mounted 499cc 3½hp motor, single speed belt-drive transmission, and double sprung forks. The bike was displayed at the first Olympia Show and Sir Hallewell Rogers, the BSA Chairman, informed the shareholders at the Company’s 1910 AGM:-
“We have decided to put a motor-bicycle on the market for the coming season …. These machines will be on exhibit at the Cycle and Motor Show on November 21st, after which date we look forward to commencing delivery”.
The machines were available for the 1911 season and entire production sold out. The BSA motorcycle was here to stay, and development continued up to the Great War with a three-speed chain/ belt combination becoming the Model K. In 1914 the Model H arrived on the scene. It was a 557cc 4½hp long-stroke with a sturdier frame and forks, and fully enclosed all-chain drive, and as such was intended for sidecar duty.
A 1914 BSA Model H. Photo Credit: Bonhams Motorcycle Department.
The production of civilian BSA motorcycles ceased in 1916 due to wartime demands for military production by the British Government, with the factory concentrating on small arms manufacture. BSA were pivotal in the fight for freedom, and throughout the war approximately one and a half million rifles left Armoury Road; each rifle contained 131 parts… a stark insight into the mammoth scale of the undertaking.
After the Armistice it was decided to put the firm’s three main activities under separate management, and so the BSA Cycles Ltd subsidiary was formed to handle cycle and motorcycle production at Small Heath and Redditch.
The Model H and K were revitalised and in November 1919 BSA launched their first V-Twin, a 770cc side-valve that would become the Model E. The modest 6hp thumper was able to provide a top speed of 55mph and was set up for repairs on the side of the road with interchangeable valves and wheels. The Model E was accompanied with a beefier V-twin in 1922. It was a 986cc side-valve and denoted the Model F.
In 1924 BSA dipped their toes into the lightweight market with the Model B, a new and tentative venture for the firm. The Model B, affectionately referred to as the Round Tank (for obvious reasons!) was a 250cc single-cylinder side-valve four-stroke and was the entry level model in the BSA catalogue. The model was cheap – less than £40 – but was robust enough to take all that the most heavy-handed rider could throw at it. As a result, it appealed to a wide market and in particular the novice… the fact that the gearbox had only two speeds and that the rider only had to worry about one brake on the rear wheel helped provide simplicity and reassurance. There will have been many a rider introduced to the world of two wheels on a Round Tank!
In May 1924, the BSA team used the Model B to climb Mount Snowdon in Wales adjacent to the mountain railway track. The machine smashed the ascent in just over half an hour and the stunt was such an achievement that the little motorcycle sold in vast numbers – upward of 35000 – and was adopted by the Post Office for telegram delivery. A three-speed version of the Model B, identifiable by its black tank, was added to the range 1926, and the following year a flat tank replaced the much-loved original cylindrical design which gave the bike such a youthful character.
In 1927 the sloper series arrived on the scene to join an impressive collection of machines on offer from BSA. The slanted engine and new-era saddle tank design were novel, and an instant hit with the public who appreciated fashionable and bold engineering. It featured a 493cc overhead valve engine, and a revolutionary saddle tank that enabled a low seating position, improving the centre of gravity and handling.
BSA by now had an extensive series that catered for all. Bikes on offer included:-
Model B:- 250cc side-valve, available as a round tank, or now as a flat tank de-luxe version
Model E:- 770cc side-valve V-Twin
Model G:- 986cc side-valve V-Twin
Model H:- 557cc side-valve intended for sidecar duty
Model L:- the 349cc machines, available with either a side-valve or an overhead-valve
Model S:- the 493cc machines, available with either a side-valve or an overhead-valve sloper
The BSA series was in full chat, and their machines were so popular that the advertising slogan “One in four is a BSA” could be adopted without fear of contradiction. In 1928 BSA produced their first and only two-stroke, a 175cc unit construction bike, however this would only last for one season. In 1929 the Sloper series diversified, with the Model H 557cc side-valve and the Model L 349cc OHV machines joining the slanted club.
The depression of the early 1930s forced a cut back in the number of models on offer from BSA and by 1932 the series had been reduced to 10 models. The tribulations of the economy, however, did not stop BSA developing their motorcycles and in came the sporty Blue Stars, a title that applied to tuned machines that incorporated a high-compression piston, ‘hotter’ cams, and a twin-port cylinder with high tail pipes. The O.H.V. 249cc Blue Star was called the “Blue Star Junior” and the 348cc O.H.V. Blue Star was known as the “Sporting Blue Star”. It was the 499cc O.H.V. that became the most popular model. The bikes typically had an enamel blue star badge on the timing cover to mark it from the standard machines.
The Stars were the flagship of BSA; but at the same time, the powerhouse continued to roll out base utility models that took men and women back and forth to work come rain or shine. BSA motorcycles were sold as affordable motorcycles with reasonable performance for the average user, and BSA stressed the reliability of their machines, the availability of spares, and excellent dealer support.
BSA motorcycles were noted for their reliability and were used by many associations to keep the world spinning. This was one such vehicle – a 1933 595cc BSA Combination Linesman’s Motorcycle – which would have been used by men and women of the Post Office Engineering Department to support telegraph line installation duties. The sidecar was a useful device for holding the Linesman’s tools of the trade. It was a bespoke construction, and designed to carry a three-part ladder and tools in the bottom section, and spare parts in the top compartment.
In 1936 there was a revamp at BSA as the legendary motorcycle designer Val Page arrived on the scene from Triumph. Val set about updating and simplifying models that were no longer economical to produce. The iconic Slopers were out and the sporty O.H.V. Blue Stars were revised and now featured an alloy primary chain case with a special high compression piston, hardened cylinder bore, and new foot-change gearbox. They became the Empire Stars and were available in the same capacities as before. In a useful advertisement campaign and demonstration of the reliability of the Empire Star, a 500cc model was subjected to an endurance test of 500 miles at Brooklands, averaging speeds of over 70mph around the oval track. This was followed by a 1000-mile endurance ride around the UK which was completed successfully without the need for any spare parts – an important selling point for BSA in an ever more competitive market.
On 30th June 1937, a race prepared BSA Empire Star ridden by the distinguished Wal Handley achieved a 100mph lap of the Brooklands circuit – he was bestowed the Gold Star, the badge that would attach itself to BSAs new super sports model and give it the evocative name for decades to come. The M24 Gold Star was announced as part of the BSA range in 1938 and was presented with upgrades including a lightened frame, alloy cylinder barrel and head, cast-in pushrod tunnel, Amal TT carb and Elektron gearbox casing. This was one serious bike.
As the clouds of another war started to loom, BSA were well prepared and in a position to drop some models, and up the production of others.
The Army had a demand for motorcycles and BSA stepped up with the M20, at which point they were the largest producer of motorcycles in the world.
Initially the British Army were reticent to use the M20 for war duties, claiming that it was heavy, slow and had poor ground clearance. However, the toughness, reliability and ease of maintenance and repair shone through, and in the end the Army, Royal Navy, and RAF placed huge orders, along with Sweden, South Africa and India. In fact, rumour has it that up to 126,000 M20 motorcycles were supplied to the armed forces from 1937.
In the wake of the war, BSA were in a good place, and set about expanding their empire. The war had decimated many of their rivals, and there were meals to be had. The first was Ariel, shortly followed by New Hudson. BSA went from strength to strength and in 1947 the 125cc Bantam was introduced, and was to become the most successful models produced by BSA with over a quarter of a million Bantams rolling off the assembly line.
BSA continued to flourish through the 1950s and acquired Triumph in 1951. But by 1965, the company were feeling the strain as popular Japanese marques such as Honda and Yamaha arrived on the scene. BSA attempted to veer from the norm with quirky machines such as the Ariel 3 – a three-wheel moped… but that was not no avail and the concepts were shunned by the public who continued to want simple, honest, and fast motorcycles.
In 1972 BSA unified with Norton-Villiers, a mild and final attempt to combat the intensity of the Japanese motorcycle boom. It was a solemn time for BSA who were really feeling the financial pinch. The final BSA range included the Gold Star 500, 650 Thunderbolt/Lightning and the 750cc Rocket Three. BSA were unable to keep up with the competition, and in 1972 the lights went off for the final time in the Brummy Small Heath factory.
an article by The Girder Club
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